Ski lock



1969 F. J. WHITAKER ET 3,429,152

SKI LOCK Filed May 29, 1967 INVENTORS FOREST J WHITAKER JOHN B. M/NER/VEY I II I l m BY Q4 United States Patent "ice 3,429,152 SKI LOCKForest J. Whitaker, 39 Ivy Drive, Orinda, Calif. 94563, and John B.Mclnerney, 2666 78th Ave., Oakland, Calif. 94605 Filed May 29, 1967,Ser. No. 641,993 US. CI. 7058 Claims Int. Cl. E05b 73/00; A63c 11/00;A44h 21/00 ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Skis are frequently leftunattended outside such places as eating or sleeping accommodationswhere locking ski racks are not usually provided. The present inventionprovides means for locking skis relative to each other rather than to apermanently installed rack. The skis are disposed at an angle to eachother of 60 to 90, more or less, and thus assume a position which is notnormal for carrying and which does not permit skiing. Hence onetransporting skis in such position is conspicuous and identified as athief. In addition, common ski racks on automobiles will not accept skisheld in this position.

A further feature of the invention is the fact that the brackets whichare applied to each ski do not injure the ski or require any specialmodification of the structure thereof.

A further feature of the invention is the fact that the brackets mayreadily be installed and removed and readily locked and unlocked ininstalled position.

Still another advantage of the invention is the fact that the bracketswhen removed from the skis can be stored within a pocket or in someconvenient receptacle and do not occupy excessive space nor does theirweight interfere with normal movement.

A still further feature of the invention is the fact that the device isinexpensive to manufacture. Conventional or special locks may beemployed to hold the brackets in position.

Other objects of the present invention will become apparent upon readingthe following specification and referring to the accompanying drawingsin which similar characters of reference represent corresponding partsin each of the several views.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the lock in accordance withthe invention with a portion of the skis broken away.

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the structure of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 1 of a modification, the same beingpartly broken away.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially on line 4-4 ofFIG. 3.

The present invention is designed for attachment to conventional skis11a and 11b preferably between the toe and heel binding fittings 12 and13 respectively. Such location prevents the skis from being slipped outof the lock, but it will be understood that the invention will hold inother positions.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 3,429,152 PatentedFeb. 25, 1969 brackets 16-17a are employed. Bracket 16 has a bottom 17of a width approximately equal to that of the largest ski 11a with whichthe lock is to be used. On either end of bottom 17 are side edges 18which project perpendicularly from bottom 17 a distance about equal tothe thickness of the largest ski with which the lock is tobe used. Theouter side 18 has an inward projecting lip 19 which fits on top of ski11a. The distance which lip 19 projects inward is sufiicient toaccommodate narrower skis than shown as 11a. The inner side edge 18 hasan outward projecting lug 21 formed with an aperture 22 spaced inwardfrom its outer end. The bracket 16 may be applied either by slipping italong the ski from one end or preferably by inserting the edge of theski between lip 19 and bottom 17 and then twisting the ski downward sothat its edge fits alongside the inner side edge 18.

Bracket 17 is a substantial duplicate of bracket 16 and in its positionof use as best shown in FIG. 2 is inverted.

Stud 23 is inserted through apertures 22 in brackets 16 and 17 and itsenlarged head 24 limits the movement of the stud 23. Various lockingmeans may be employed. In the accompanying drawing a transverse hole 26is formed near the outer end of stud 23 to receive the hasp 27 of apadlock 28. Various other means may be employed to secure locking meansto the stud 23.

In the assembled position of the skis illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 ofthe drawings, after the brackets 16 and 17a have been applied, thebrackets are assembled by inserting stud 23 through the hole in lug 21and applying the lock 28. By reason of the crossed positions of the skisthe skis may not be removed from the locks, either by twisting them inthe reverse of the method in which they are applied or by sliding theskis longitudinally, Further, the skis are fixed at an angle ofapproximately relative to each other and cannot be turned into parallelposition because of the interference of the brackets with each other andwith the adjacent ski. Hence the skis are fixed in a position such thattheir being transported is very conspicuous. Furthermore, sinceconventional automobile ski racks require the skis to be positionedparallel to each other, transportation by automobile is eliminated.

The user can readily install the brackets and lock the same together.When the lock is removed and the brackets disassembled and removed fromthe skis, they fit in a pocket, purse or knapsack with facility.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate an alternative construction. The skis 11a and11b and bindings 12 and 13 are essentially the same as in the precedingmodification and are intended to be merely typical of equipmentcommercially available. The lock has a bottom member 31 and a top member32. Each member 3132 is essentially T-shaped in plan. Thus referring totop member 32 there is a cross arm 33 and a leg 34 at approximatelyright angles thereto fastened together by a rivet 36. It will beunderstood that the pieces 33-34 may be formed integrally or otherwisefastened together. Holes 37 are formed in the outer ends of the threeextremities of top member 32. The bottom member 31 likewise has a crossarm 38 and legs 39 fastened together by rivets 36. Studs 41-41a projectup from the extremities of the lower bracket 31 and fit through theholes 37 in the top bracket. One stud 41a may be elongated and formedwith a plurality of transverse holes 42 spaced along the length thereof,The hasp (not shown) of a padlock may fit through any of the holes 42depending on the thickness of the skis with which used. It will beunderstood that various other means may be used to lock the brackets31-32 relative to each other.

What is claimed is:

1. A ski lock comprising a first and a second lock member, said membersinterfitting in assembled position and having a stud on one of saidmembers extending through an aperture in the other of said members, andlock means engaging said st-ud to hold said members in assembledposition, said members having ski engaging portions shaped to fittransversely across each of a pair of skis, said members formed withcooperating abutting means to hold said skis at a wide angle relative toeach other when said members are in assembled position.

2. A lock according to claim 1 in which said cooperating abutting meanscomprises a ski engaging portion formed to fit across and under the edgeof a ski and a lug, said lugs overlapping and when overlappedrestraining turning of said members relative to each other.

3. A lock according to claim 1, in which said cooperating abutting meanscomprises a channel on each of said members having a return lip on oneside and a lug on the other side, said lugs overlapping and lying inproximity to a channel of the other member whereby turning of saidmembers relative to each other is limited, said stud positioned on oneof said lugs and the other said lug apertured to receive said stud.

4. A lock according to claim 1, in which said cooperating abutting meanscomprises at least three arms on each of said members of a length toextend into three adjacent angles of a pair of crossed skis, one of saidmembers below and the other above said crossed skis in substantiallyparallel relationship, a stud adjacent the outer extremity of each ofsaid arms of one of said members, an aperture adjacent the outerextremity of each of said arms of the other of said members andreceiving said studs, one stud formed for engagement with said lockmeans.

5. A lock according to claim 1, in which said last named stud is formedto engage said lock means in a plurality of positions to accommodateskis of varying thicknesses.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,133,883 10/1938 Aubert 70583,091,011 5/1963 Campbell 70-58 X 3,277,676 10/1966 Poehlmann 70-58MARVIN A. CHAMPION, Primary Examiner.

EDWARD J. MCCARTHY, Assistant Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R.

